Petunia plant named ‘Wespeking’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Wespeking’, characterized by its cascading growth habit; freely branching plant habit; freely flowering habit; single bicolored flowers that are violet in color with white-colored margins; and large sepals.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Wespeking.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Wespeking’.

The new Petunia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany. The new Petunia originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor of a proprietary Petunia seedling selection, not patented, as the female, or seed parent, identified as code number 99P003 with a proprietary Petunia seedling selection not patented, as the male, or pollen parent, identified as code number 99P193. The new Petunia was selected by the Inventor in 2000 in a controlled environment in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany since 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Wespeking have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wespeking’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wespeking’ as a new and distinct Petunia cultivar:

-   -   1. Cascading growth habit.     -   2. Freely branching plant habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Single bicolored flowers that are violet in color with         white-colored margins.     -   5. Large sepals.

Plants of the new Petunia have less pronounced petal venation and darker blue violet-colored flowers than plants of the female parent. Plants of the new Petunia are more cascading in growth habit and have a narrower lateral branch diameter than plants of the male parent.

Plants of the cultivar Wespeking can be compared to plants of the Petunia cultivar Brevt, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,679. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Brevt differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter internodes than plants         of the cultivar Brevt.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter leaf petioles than         plants of the cultivar Brevt.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had larger sepals than plants of         the cultivar Brevt.     -   4. Flower color of the new Petunia was lighter than flower color         of the cultivar Brevt.     -   5. Throats of flowers of the new Petunia were darker in color         than throats of flowers of the cultivar Brevt.

Plants of the cultivar Wespeking can also be compared to plants of the Petunia cultivar Bresh, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 09/592,379, now abandoned. However in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany, plants of the new Petunia and the cultivar Bresh differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter internodes than plants         of the cultivar Bresh.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller leaves than plants of         the cultivar Bresh.     -   3. Flowers of the new Petunia were smaller than flowers of the         cultivar Bresh.     -   4. Flowers of the new Petunia and the cultivar Bresh differed in         color.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia had larger sepals than plants of         the cultivar Bresh.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description that follows, which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Wespeking’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and the description were grown in 12-cm containers during the spring and summer for about 20 weeks in a glass-covered greenhouse and under conditions that closely approximate commercial production conditions in Südlohn-Oeding, Germany. During the production of the plants, day temperatures were about 20 to 25° C., night temperatures were about 16 to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 3,000 to 50,000 lux.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida cultivar Wespeking. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection             identified as code number 99P003, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Petunia×hybrida selection             identified as code number 99P193, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 18 days at 20° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 20 to 28 days at 20° C.         -   Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; cascading plant habit. Viscid,             glandular pubescent. Freely and continuous basal branching             with lateral branches potentially forming at every node.         -   Usage.—Appropriate for hanging baskets, window boxes and             patio containers.         -   Plant height (from soil level to top of plant plane).—About             12 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 60 to 70 cm.         -   Stem description.—Main branches, length: About 65 to 70 cm.             Main branches, diameter: About 5 mm. Lateral branches,             length: About 30 to 40 cm. Lateral branches, diameter: About             2 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Texture: Densely             pubescent. Color: 146A to 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 4.8 cm. Width: About 2.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Slightly acute to rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire.             Aspect: Flat. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Leathery,             pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing             foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage, lower             surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A.             Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper             surface: 146A. Venation, lower surface: 146B. Petiole             length: About 4 mm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole             color: 147A to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers; flowers             face upward and outward; single, axillary. Freely flowering             habit.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long-day responsive; flowering             from April until frost in the autumn in Germany; flowering             continuous during this period.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one week.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 6.4 cm. Depth (height): About             3 cm. Tube length: About 2.6 cm. Throat diameter, distal             end: About 1.1 cm. Tube diameter, proximal end: About 4 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color, towards apex: 83B to 83C; towards the             margins, 144D. Color, midsection: 144B, becoming closer to             N77A with development. Color, towards base: N77A.         -   Petals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five petals,             fused into flared trumpet. Length from throat: About 2.8 cm.             Width: About 2.9 cm. Shape: Obtuse. Apex: Rounded. Margin:             Entire, somewhat undulate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: N86A; towards the margins, 155D. Fully             opened, upper surface: 86B; towards the margins, 155D. Fully             opened, lower surface: 86B to 86C; towards the margins,             155D. Flower throat (inside): N187A. Flower tube (outside):             79A. Venation, upper surface: N187A. Venation, lower             surface: N92A. Venation, throat: Not veined. Venation, tube:             Not veined.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five sepals,             fused at base; star-shaped. Length: About 2.3 cm. Width:             About 8 mm. Shape: Elliptic to obovate. Apex: Rounded,             obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Leathery; pubescent. Color, upper surface: 146A. Color,             lower surface: 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.1 cm. Width: About 1.6 to 2 mm.             Strength: Wiry, strong. Texture: Rough; pubescent. Color:             146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About five per             flower. Anther shape: Four-parted, reniform. Anther length:             About 2.1 mm. Anther width: About 2 mm. Anther color: 91B             overlain with 86C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen color:             91B. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About             2.1 cm. Stigma shape: Ovate. Stigma color, immature: 137A.             Stigma color, mature: 137A. Style length: About 1.6 cm.             Style color: 144D. Ovary color: 144B. Seed/fruit: Seed and             fruit production have not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed     to be tolerant to temperatures from 2 to 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Wespeking’, as illustrated and described. 